Chapter 51

Once Jungkook and Tae sat down, Tae took a deep breath before speaking.

“Kookie… I-I know you’re angry at us. And to be honest, we didn’t even know about the secret ourselves. I am really sorry for hurting you. We never meant to purposely reveal you. Appa told us it wasn’t about you, and we believed him… but he lied. And for that, we are so sorry”. Jungkook just stared at him with bambi innocent eyes, he was just listening to tae.

Tae’s voice trembled slightly as he continued, “But please remember this-we are here for you. No matter what happens, you can seek protection here. We are ready to stand by you, to protect you, always. And… just know that our love and care for you are real, Kookie. It’s not fake. Never. You can believe that with your whole heart. We never hated you-not even for a second. We never saw you as anything less than our brother, and we always will.”

Tae swallowed hard, his voice breaking slightly. “Please… don’t ever think we hate you. Don’t ever think that our love is fake. You are our brother, Jungkook. How could we ever show you fake love? Just remember this-you have us, and we have you. And that will never change.”

Jungkook sat in silence, staring into Tae’s eyes. He saw no lies, no deceit-only pure, unwavering love and care. His heart ached at the sincerity in Tae’s words, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like he wasn’t alone.

“And… as you said, you aren’t comfortable with us, and that you… you hate us…” Tae’s voice wavered, but he forced himself to continue. “Take your time, Jungkook. Take all the time you need. It can be a minute, a month… even a year. When you feel ready-when you feel like you truly have us-you can speak to us like before. Be comfortable with us again. Don’t be so formal or distant… you’re our brother, Kookie.”

Tae swallowed the lump in his throat, his fingers gripping the hem of his sweater as he tried to steady himself. “Just… be like how you were in Italy. Carefree, happy, comfortable. See this place as your home, because it is your home. It’s not a strange place, not somewhere you have to tiptoe around. You can do whatever you want-you can roam wherever you like, throw a party if you feel like it… just-just don’t lock yourself away in that room.

“Home? Me being carefree, happy and comfortable in home? Ive never ever felt that… Home is the place I hate the most” Jungkook thought

Tae’s voice cracked at the end, his emotions threatening to take over, but he held on. “If you ever feel alone… you don’t have to be. You can join us anytime, anywhere. We’ll go wherever you want, do whatever you need. Just don’t push yourself away from us, please…” Tae’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he looked at Jungkook, silently begging him to understand, to believe, to accept the love that had never wavered.

Jungkook sat there, frozen, his heart hammering against his chest. His vision blurred as his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He wanted to speak, to say something-but the lump in his throat made it impossible. Instead, he just stared at Tae, feeling an overwhelming mix of emotions crashing down on him.

“We are so sorry if you felt like we were annoying, if you ever thought we were fake… but Jungkook, we can never be like that. You know why?” Tae took a shaky breath, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. “Because you came to us by God’s grace. After twelve long years, you finally came back to us. We missed you every single day…” Tae sighed, shaking his head. “Never mind that. It’s all up to you now, Kook. It’s your mindset, your choice. Just… be comfortable with us. You have us.” His voice was soft, yet so full of longing. He was trying his best not to break, not to cry.

Jungkook was doing the same. His throat felt tight, his heart heavy. He let out a deep sigh and stood up. “I… I need some time.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

Tae forced a small smile, though his eyes were already glossy. “S-Sure. Take all the time you need, Kookie.”

Jungkook gave a small nod before turning around and walking away, disappearing into his room. Again

As soon as the door closed behind him, Tae could no longer hold it in. His tears finally fell. He wiped his face harshly, sighing as he whispered to himself, “I just hope everything will be fine.”

But little did he know… fate had something else planned for them. More secrets were waiting to be unraveled, more truths that could shatter everything.

And the person Tae loved the most… was going to become the one drowned in hate and anger.

Meanwhile, with Jungkook

Jungkook entered his room, shutting the door behind him with trembling hands before locking it. He pressed his back against the cold wood, his breath hitching as a lump formed in his throat. His glistening eyes could no longer hold back the tears, and they spilled freely down his cheeks. Slowly, he slid down to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest.

“H-he… they really don’t hate me?” he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. Tae’s words replayed in his mind over and over again, like a cruel loop that made his heart ache. He was torn, drowning in the confusion of his own thoughts.

Jungkook shook his head violently, gripping his hair. “No… even if they say they love me, even if they promise to protect me… I can’t- I won’t get close to them,” he muttered, his voice laced with despair. “I can’t be a burden to them. I won’t be their problem. I won’t destroy them like I-” His breath hitched as he clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.

A choked sob escaped his lips as he shut his eyes tightly. “I don’t need anyone. I-I have myself, and that’s enough. It has to be enough,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, breaking into silent cries.

But deep down, he knew he was lying to himself.

He wasn’t enough.

He had never been enough.

And the worst part was, he believed anyone who got too close to him would end up suffering-just like Hyesuk and Suho died.

Just like everyone he ever loved.

With Jin and the Others

Everyone was gathered in the meeting room, waiting for Jin to arrive. Haein had just joined them, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense yet expectant.

“Umm… H-haein-ssi, h-how old are you?” Yoongi asked hesitantly, his voice slightly unsure.

“I’m 28. What about you all?” Haein responded, her tone neutral.

“I’m 27, and Namjoon is 26… so we’re younger than you,” Yoongi replied.

Haein hummed in acknowledgment. “You and Jin-hyung are the same age, then,” Namjoon pointed out, to which Haein simply nodded.

Sighing, she leaned back slightly in her chair. “When will your busy hyung arrive? Will he come today or next year?” she asked sarcastically, her patience clearly wearing thin.

“Ahem. I’m here,” Jin’s voice echoed through the room as he finally entered.

Jin walked in with an air of authority but carried a slightly apologetic expression as he took his seat across from Haein. “Sorry, I got caught up in a meeting,” he said, adjusting his laptop in front of him.

Haein simply hummed in response. “Can we start now?” she asked, her tone all business.

“Yeah, sure,” Jin nodded, opening his laptop.

Namjoon was already working on the details, typing away, while Yoongi focused on setting up the projector. As the screen flickered to life, the room fell silent, everyone bracing themselves for the discussion ahead.

Jin cleared his throat before speaking. “Umm… first, let’s go through the revised documents for the project so we can get a clearer idea,” he suggested.

Haein, however, shook her head slightly. “Documents alone aren’t enough. We also need the last few records related to this project. Have you all reviewed this project before?” she asked, her gaze sharp.

“To be honest, we haven’t even touched it yet,” Yoongi admitted. “We were busy with other projects, and then suddenly, this one landed on our plate.”

“Oh… did Sir inform you beforehand, or…?” Haein trailed off, looking between them.

“No, he didn’t. We only found out about it yesterday,” Namjoon answered.

Haein hummed in understanding before turning to Jin. Leaning forward slightly, she proposed, “Let’s simplify this. First, let’s ask our team to assemble a new project team with members from all necessary departments. They’ll be responsible for handling this. Meanwhile, we can review both the previous work and the new documents to get a complete picture.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Alright then, I’ll go and collect the previous documents,” Namjoon said, standing up.

“Wait, I’ll come with you,” Yoongi added before leaving alongside him.

Now, only Jin and Haein remained in the room, the air between them settling into a quiet yet focused tension.

Jin was already deeply focused on his work, typing continuously. His brows were furrowed in concentration, his expression serious and unwavering.

Haein glanced at him before sighing and turning her attention back to her laptop. “Can you tell me your number?” she asked.

Jin, still engrossed in his work, hummed absentmindedly and recited his number without even looking at her.

“I’ll send some PDFs. Look into them,” Haein informed him.

Jin merely hummed again in acknowledgment.

Haein shot him a glare and sighed, muttering under her breath, “Can’t he even open his fucking mouth?”

The two continued working in silence, only speaking when absolutely necessary. The tension was thick, not of discomfort but of pure focus.

Not long after, Namjoon and Yoongi returned, carrying the previous documents. They joined in, scanning through the files while the room remained filled with nothing but the sound of typing and papers shuffling.

After a while, Jin sighed heavily and got up, stretching his arms. Without saying a word, he walked out of the room.

“Where is he going?” Haein asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Probably to get coffee,” Namjoon replied nonchalantly.

“I have a question,” Haein said, making Yoongi and Namjoon look at her with curiosity.

“There’s supposed to be one more guy with you, right? Hoseok? I heard he’s also a CEO, but why isn’t he here?” she asked.

“He had some work at his hospital today,” Namjoon explained. “He’ll probably join us from tomorrow. He balances both his medical career and business responsibilities, so he only attends important meetings.”

Haein hummed in understanding.

“By the way, noona, where have you been all these years?” Yoongi asked.

“I was in Italy until I was 25, then I moved to Germany for work. I kept traveling-sometimes in New Zealand, sometimes in France,” Haein said casually.

“Oh,” Namjoon and Yoongi responded at the same time, nodding.

Haein sighed and returned to her work. A few minutes later, she heard the door open. It was Jin, carrying a tray with coffee and some snacks. He placed it at the center of the table before taking off his coat, hanging it on the chair. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, allowing himself to breathe more comfortably. Leaning back in his chair, he sighed heavily before picking up a cup of coffee and taking a slow sip.

Namjoon and Yoongi also grabbed their cups. Jin then gestured toward Haein, signaling her to take one. She nodded and reached for a cup, appreciating the small yet thoughtful gesture.

“Yoongi, did Samchoon say anything?” Jin asked.

“He didn’t, just normal talks,” Yoongi replied.

Jin hummed in response, sighing heavily. He set his coffee aside and ran his hands over his face, exhaustion evident in his posture.

“Umm, Haein-ssi, since when have you been working for Bangtan?” Jin asked after a moment of silence.

“Since 2019,” Haein answered simply.

Jin nodded. “Oh, okay.”

Without further conversation, he turned his attention back to his laptop. The room fell silent again as everyone focused on their work, the only sounds being the occasional typing and the quiet hum of the air conditioning.

It was past 7 PM, and everyone was still immersed in work.

“Okay, guys, let’s wrap it up here. We’ll continue tomorrow,” Jin said, closing his laptop with a sigh.

“Huff, finally,” Namjoon exhaled, leaning back in his chair, exhaustion clear in his voice.

Yoongi stretched his arms with a soft sigh before turning to Namjoon. “Yah, Joonie, want some coffee?” he asked.

“Naee, wait, I’ll come with you,” Namjoon said, pushing his chair back.

With that, the two of them got up and headed to grab their coffee, leaving Jin and Haein in the quiet meeting room.

“Umm, Haein-ssi, I’ll arrange a cabin for you here so you can come directly and work,” Jin said.

“Nae,” Haein responded simply.

There was a brief silence before Jin hesitantly asked, “If you don’t mind, may I know your age?”

“28,” Haein replied, leaning back against the chair.

“We’re the same age,” Jin mumbled under his breath. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he spoke again. “Umm… how are you close to Jungkook?”

Haein met Jin’s gaze and, after a brief pause, she replied, “As I already said, I only met him at your father’s mansion. We spoke once or twice-that’s it. We aren’t close.”

“Oh… okay,” Jin said, nodding. But curiosity still lingered in his eyes. “B-but… w-why did you calm Jungkook yesterday? He really… settled down so easily in your embrace.”

Haein sighed before responding, her voice steady. “You tell me, Jin-ssi. If you see someone in a vulnerable condition, wouldn’t you help them?”

Jin swallowed, nodding slightly. “I… I would help,” he admitted

Haein sighed, running a hand through her hair. “That’s what I did-I just comforted him. He already has health issues, especially heart issues. What if his hard crying resulted in some critical situati—“

She stopped abruptly, realizing what she had just said. Her eyes widened slightly as she glanced at Jin, who was already staring at her with a shocked expression.

“How do you know he has a weak heart and health issues?” Jin demanded, his voice laced with suspicion.

“Yah, are you serious? I just overheard it from Hyunwoo uncle. He mentioned it to me several times,” Haein said confidently, trying to cover up her slip.

“Really?” Jin asked, still eyeing her with doubt.

Haein huffed in frustration. “Yah! What do you want me to do to prove that I’m not close with your brother, huh? Are you interrogating me like I stole something from you?” She glared at him, clearly annoyed.

Jin, unfazed, leaned forward slightly. “Why shouldn’t I ask? I was just curious about your relationship with him. And why the hell did you say, ‘Noona is here, Kook. I am here,’ like that? What was that all about?” His tone was demanding, his eyes searching hers for an answer.

Hey guys how was the chapter? Any guesses for the next chapter??

And yeah I did my exams well. Guess what I scored 97 in maths.. like wow

To say the truth I just saw the sums the day before night. Hahhh!! How lucky I am to get the question paper so easily.

Anyway… Any guesses about the next chapters…

How was tae’s talk to jungkook? I tried my best

And do you think jungkook will get comfortable with them?

Do a lot of comments guys

I wrote like 2640 words

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